Refurbishment of South Bridge, Oundle, Northamptonshire, UK

Oundle is a picturesque and historic market town in north Northamptonshire that lies on the banks of the River Nene. South Bridge lies on the south western outskirts of the town and formed an important transport link around the western side. It is a seven-span stone arch structure dating back to medieval times and is a scheduled monument and grade II listed. Following the discovery of a leak from a water main, concern was expressed regarding the structural integrity of parts of the bridge and it was decided to close the bridge to traffic for reasons of public safety. This paper describes the original leakage incident and the subsequent procedures that were adopted to reopen the bridge. Assessment of the bridge condition, stakeholder engagement, refurbishment options, works procurement, site works and subsequent monitoring are described.